Ever since I could remember, I was told that you're born either a one foot jumper or a two foot jumper. I've heard it all. "It depends on your genetics." "Short guys jump higher off one foot and tall guys jump higher off two feet." This topic has been a common misconception ever since (for lack of a better word) ever. I'm sad to know that a lot of athletes limit themselves because of misinformation like this, and you'll soon understand why. One of the things that impressed me in Vert Freak 101 was that there is a dedicated chapter in the program that debunks the one foot/two foot jumper myth. I'll give you a preview of what the chapter covers in this post.

The first thing I'd like to reiterate is: you are NOT born a one foot or two foot jumper. So don't worry and concern that with what sports you'd be good at or anything like that. A lot of athletes greatly limit their potential when thinking with that mindset. An athlete that exhibits that mindset at a young age focuses entirely on one jumping technique his or her whole life, while the other technique is disregarded. Unfortunately, in many sports including basketball, it's most beneficial to be able to jump using both techniques. If you learn the science behind all of the jumping, you'll understand how it's possible for anyone to be good at both methods.

The Science Behind The TechniquesJumping off one foot is usually done with a run set-up and relies more on plyometrics. Jumping off two feet, which is easier to do with less momentum but can also be used with a run set-up, relies more on leg strength. However, both jumping techniques utilize plyometrics and leg strength. Doing both plyometric and leg strengthening exercises will help you with both techniques. Adam Linkenauger goes over all of that with detail in chapter 5 of Vert Freak 101. You can find out more about that by checking out the site at the end of this post. Anyways, the only other thing you will have to worry about when using both jumping techniques is the comfort level.

Personal TestingThe main problem athletes including me have is the awkwardness of the "less preferred" method. If you've read my story, you'd know that I was a high jumper in high school. I had always been used to jumping off one leg. Like most other athletes out there, I never used the other technique. It felt awkward and unnatural, so I avoided it overall. However, reading this chapter in Vert Freak 101 opened my mind and also supplied me with a lot of helpful tips to help me "convert." I later decided to dedicate a whole training session to trying to get used to jumping off two feet. It felt very weird to be jumping off both of my feet at first, but I discovered that I only had to experiment with the pre-jump setup a couple of times to get the hang of it. I was so excited in the end, as I found my vert off two feet was only a few inches below my vert off one foot. It was a defining moment for me.

As you probably realize by now, you can be successful with both methods of jumping. So don't be discouraged into thinking you "weren't made" for a certain sport. Don't let misinformed people hinder your potential. My sincere advice to you is, don't be too gullible. There's a lot of false information out there so if anything sounds iffy, do your research to get a full understanding. If you'd like to find out more about this information and improving your vertical jump in general, you can click here to visit the Vert Freak 101 website.

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